"Something had to give" - PGA Tour caddie opens up on sudden split with major champ

Wyndham Clark's former caddie John Ellis says there are "no hard feelings" after splitting with the PGA Tour golfer. 

Ellis and Clark had been one of the longest running player-caddie duos on the North American circuit. 

But they decided to call time on their nine-year professional relationship after the 2026 Players Championship. 

Clark finished in a share of 42nd place at the PGA Tour's flagship event at TPC Sawgrass. 

But it has been an underwhelming start to the season for the 2023 U.S. Open champion, who has fallen down the Official World Golf Rankings significantly over the past two years. 

He has not missed a cut this season but has only cracked the top 20 once.

Clark reached a career-high third in the OWGR 10 months after he claimed his first major win at Los Angeles Country Club. 

He is now ranked 67th and searching for some form ahead of the men's major season, which kicks off in a few weeks' time at Augusta National. 

Ellis hopped on the Gravy & Sleaze radio show on Wednesday to confirm he had in fact split with Clark. 

And he appeared to indicate that he was the one to initiate the split. 

However, he insists there are no hard feelings and will always be rooting for Clark. 

"I care more about Wyndham and I's friendship," he told the radio show. 

"We're friends before business, and things just weren't right, and something had to give. 

"I felt like it was just time, maybe a different voice for both of us would help.

"If I go on Instagram, it looks like there's a lot of hatred, but there's no hatred for Wyndham and I. 

"We're still friends, we texted yesterday, it's all good. 

"It's part of the business, and I'm still going to root for him. I'm sure he'll root for me, whatever I do after this."

Clark has hired Dave Pelekoudas to carry his sticks at this week's Valspar Championship. 

It is unknown if Pelekoudas, nicknamed "Big Wave Dave", will be taking on the role on a permanent basis. 

Clark is a three-time PGA Tour winner who, at one stage, was regularly challenging Scottie Scheffler at the top of leaderboards. 

Recent struggles on the course have been evident, though, and his reactions to poor performances have made headlines for the wrong reasons. 

He has occasionally drawn attention for his outbursts of anger. 

During the final round of the 2025 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, Clark lost his temper after a poor tee shot on the 16th hole and tossed his driver, breaking it against advertising signage. 

The club head nearly hit a volunteer, and the incident went viral. Clark later publicly apologised. 

After missing the cut at last year's U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club, Clark damaged a century-old locker in a fit of rage. 

The aftermath saw Oakmont banning him from the property until certain conditions are met - including paying for damages and completing counselling or anger management sessions. 

Again, Clark expressed remorse.